1. Area of the Invention
The invention relates to an adjustment apparatus for a sunroof that exhibits at least one cover piece for the optional closing and at least partial uncovering of a roof opening in a solid roof area of a vehicle, particularly an automobile, in which the roof opening is delimited by a base piece with side pieces that define a longitudinal direction and that lie opposite one another, and in which the cover piece is displaceable along the aforementioned longitudinal direction. An adjustment apparatus of this type includes at least one cover support element, one guide element for a carriage element that serves as the drive for the cover piece, and a means of control for the adjustment of the cover piece. The cover support element, of which there is at least one, is rigidly joined with the cover piece and can be tilted (swiveled) around a first cam that runs cross-wise to the aforementioned longitudinal direction and that is placed near the front edge of the cover, and can be displaced along the aforementioned longitudinal direction by means of a cam. The guide surface, of which there is at least one, extends along the aforementioned longitudinal direction and is secured to the base piece. The carriage element, of which there is at least one, is guided in a displaceable fashion along the aforementioned guide surface and thereby along the aforementioned longitudinal direction and moves the cover piece. The means of control for adjusting the cover piece join the cover piece to the carriage element in a manner in which they can be moved relative to one another along the aforementioned longitudinal direction.
One preferred area of application for the invention is the so-called "spoiler roof ". These are sliding roofs for vehicles, especially automobiles, that include a movable, cover-like closing element for a roof opening and are constructed in such a way that when a drive apparatus is actuated, for example, a crank, first the rear end of the closing cover raises up so that it is tilted and then, following that, the closing cover is displaced approximately horizontally while retaining the tilted position.
The area of application of the invention includes not only those sunroofs which are built in at the factory during the manufacture of the vehicle, but also those sunroofs which can be installed afterwards.
2. Description of the State of the Art A "spoiler roof" with an adjustment apparatus of the type described at the beginning is known from DE 33 11 452 C2. In the case of this known adjustment apparatus, the transport carriage and the guide/swivel cam of the cover support element in same are rigidly placed in the frame of the sunroof, and are guided and displaced in guide elements that extend completely straight. The transport carriage is joined only indirectly, but not directly, with the cover support element, and specifically, by means of a swiveling lever that is controlled by the transport carriage and that is secured in a swiveling manner to the cover and to the cover support element on one side, and is guided at its opposite end in a displaceable fashion in the above-mentioned guide element. This lever represents a means of height adjustment at the rear and includes, in addition, a locking element that prevents the cover piece from being displaced to the rear while it is being tilted upward.
This locking element, together with the above-mentioned guide element, is used in addition to ensure that the cover that has been displaced to the rear cannot be tilted back into the closed position as it is being moved forward, but rather, only after it has reached its position of most forward movement, that is, a position in which it is completely above the opening in the roof. This adjustment apparatus thus requires a large number of components with complicated shapes, and to that extent, distinguishes itself little from adjustment apparatuses for other known spoiler roofs.
A different adjustment apparatus for a "spoiler roof" is known from DE 38 01 881 C2. Although this known adjustment apparatus dispenses with one lever of the type that was described above in connection with DE 33 11 452 C2, the number of necessary components and the complexity of the shapes, as well as the multiple sequences of movements of the components, is no less than is the case in accordance with DE 33 11 452 C2, because independent components are required for holding the cover in its position of most forward movement during the tipping up of the cover and for preventing the tipping down of the cover as it is being moved forward. In the case of this known adjustment apparatus, the cover support element--in contrast with the adjustment apparatus in accordance with DE 33 11 452 C2 --is not guided directly in a guide that is provided in the sunroof frame and supported by a corresponding guide cam, but instead, the cover support element is entirely supported by the transport carriage at two points that lie one behind the other, and is controlled by the transport carriage with respect to its swiveling and height adjustment movements.
Disclosure through Reference
With regard to the components and the means of control that are known for adjustment apparatuses for spoiler roofs and that are made use of, or if need be, can be made use of by the adjustment apparatus in accordance with the invention, for one, the technical disclosure through reference that is known by means of the already cited documents DE 33 11 452 C2 and DE 38 01 881 C2 is included in this patent. In addition, DE 40 37 975 A1 is also included through reference, because it is already known by means of that document that the adjustment apparatus for a spoiler roof can be housed in a center brace that divides the roof opening, and not in the side pieces of the frame.